Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon

named for Amalia and Julio’s son, Christian Gastón, comes from the best lots of Cabernet on the vineyard, and is made and released only when the family feels that the wine will live up to its special designation. Generally this wine features a focused intensity along with a rich texture, with notes of cocoa and blackberries cradled in lush oak-driven aromas. Whatever the year, one constant remains: This wine represents the estate’s best.

2009 Palmaz Vineyards Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon

Reminiscent of picking berries in a forest, this wine features aromas of ripe fruit and earthy woodland floor. The wine’s mid-palate has a distinct weightiness that carries through to a lingering finish of broad, silky tannins. Opulent but not cloying, this vintage features grapes from the Tennis Court block — named for the court it surrounds — which was selected once before for Gaston, in 2005, and has long served as an estate favorite thanks to its yielding grapes of concentrated aromas and notable structure. This vintage pairs beautifully with coffee-crusted beef tenderloin or tea-smoked squab, where the savory and the earthy flavors play off one another.